The Witch's Apprentice

Chapter One

Chapter 1: The Apprentice 

Another day to accomplished tasks, I was too busy grinding herbs, focusing on making it refine without bumped texture but not too grind because it can ruin the potential effects on the medicine. Later I'll head to the forest to gather more herbs that we cannot grow in garden, and maybe I'll hunt something for dinner.

" A cup of this every night can ease your stomach ache in the morning" 

"Thank you Sahara, you really are the best! That's why I don't believed that all witches are bad anyways I need to keep going and I'll be back in the morning . ciao!" Mrs. Lockson screamed in delight as she bid her goodbyes while clutching the bag of medicine in her chest. Before going out she bicker on going back early in the morning to bring stew from their small food stop down the road. Mrs. Lockson and her husband owns a small food shop down the foothill which is near the boundary to the next town. Most of their customers were tourists, hikers and packs of werewolves who roams in the boundaries, they also deal with rogue customers, its not a big deal because Mr. Lockson was a hunter during his youth and only stopped being a hunter when Wilson was 4 to settle down here in this town. They have 2 children, Wilson, the eldest who move to the city 2 years ago to go to the university and Wendy their 7-years old brat. I don't like her, she have a bratty attitude that can make you want to throw her in a boiling pot. 

Yeah I do know most of the people in this small town, everyone know each' stories and family bloodline. And everyone knows who is who and we rarely have new ones who would like to move in in here, They say that Master and I were the last one who moved in in here. Despite of being a small town in the middle of the mountains, we attract lots of hikers every year but still the town folks doesn't want advertise this place for the reason that they believed that it is better to live this way than having all the new and upgraded technologies just to attract tourists. I guess the newest edition of technology you can find here is the computer set in the town hall that was donated five years ago and the telephone booth outside the police station. 

I've been living here for as long as I can remember, Sahara work as the town's healer and midwife, since the midwife passed away three years ago because of age. Well she die peacefully. Sahara is my aunt, and my master, she's a witch and she's been training me to be a full pledge witch in the future.

Every morning she will train me to make medicines, potion and other witchcraft ways that doesn't require magics and spell. Different use of plants and its part, how to properly extract a certain plant to acquire its potent effects, mixing different type of plants to create poison and how to different unfamiliar plants whether it is poisonous or edible. She always acts as a jolly healer in front of the town's people but when there's just the two of us she's a nagging one.

There will be no nights that she'll nag me about every little things, it's like she's been keeping notes of  everything I have done in the day and do a non stop lecture during the dinner. But I do know that it is for my own good, that she is doing it for my own betterment and I cannot wished for more for the things she had done for me.

As I continue doing my work, 2 more customers came in, the mayor's wife asking for a herbal tea that can help her in breathing difficulties and Clara the nun from the small convent in the southern part of the town having a regular deliveries of eggs from the poultry and taking the Superior's tea that they ask frequently, she also ask for a pain reliever for her cramps and that got me worried. We are quite close for someone like her- a nun and me an aspiring witch.

"Niah, have you finish grinding the herbs for Mr. Chen's medicine?" Master asks me as I cleaned our plates that we used for lunch.

"Yep I did, Master" popping the 'p' and continued what I was doing when I noticed that she is giddy and anxious. She began walking in and out of the counter picking things and packing it in her small bag which she is using whenever we would go down the town to but things and such that are needed in the house. I keep on asking her why can't she use magic and she'll just answer me that it may give suspicion for the town folks.

"Master, is everything alright?" I ask her as I started to worry on her behavior but before she could answer me someone barge in the house making me alert on whatever is going to happen, aside from training on becoming a full pledge witch, Master also make sure to teach me self-defense that can save in tough times. 

Someone barge in the front door that gives shock and send alertness all over my being, but as soon as she spoke, familiarity with her voice calmed me. "Sahara! Help!" It is May from the bakery, and she almost crash in the receiving tables, her dress was wrinkled maybe because of continuous tripping in the forest just to get her as soon as possible. Worried, scared, panicked, it is visible on her face, the way her body fidgets on the attempt to speak casually.

 "Mom, s-she, the baby" as soon as those words escape in her lips she broke down crying, looking helpless sitting on the couch. I give her tea to calm her down as Master readied her things. Mrs. Flores, May's mother was pregnant, and they already ask my Master to be her midwife when she starts to labor and the baby is due next week, and that is quite unexpected for that lil'fella who wants to see the world earlier than he/she expected to be.

"Niah, could you fetch some herbs in the garden and make tea that can soothes pain and be sure to deliver it as soon as you finish making it" and before I could even reply they run down the forest to tend the laboring Mrs. Flores.

I quickly gather some herbs for the soothing tea and grind it carefully and as soon as I'm done I removed my dirty apron and headband and let my red hair fall down to my waist. After cleaning myself up and making me look presentable for the town folks, I put a pair of brown combat shoes, pull a maroon hood out of the cabinet to make sure that my almost red hair will be covered. I put the herbs and tea in my bag and run down the forest. No need to put locks because Master put a protection spell around the vicinity of our house and no harm shall befall there as long as the spell was activated.

I make a dash down the mountain and follow the trail to the town, I passed by a small river before entering the town, run towards the central and make a left in the alley between a cafe and the antique store, I pass down two blocks of houses before I reach the bakery where Mrs. Flores and their family lives.

Small muffles and painful cries can be heard inside the room, Ms. Cyan is also here, she works as a receptionist for the tourist, she is helping my Master to do what they were suppose to do during labor. Mr. Flores was rounding all over the places and seems that he cant settle with just sitting and waiting, May is crying and here I am patting her back and whisper encouragement. Her face is already as pale as a paper and I know any moment now she will vomit due to nervousness.

"Here, smell this, it will help you calm down a bit" I gave her a mint that I make, she just gave me a small smile as she accept it and after a few more groans and whimper a loud cry echoed in the entire house. May and Mr. Flores hug each other as they neared Mrs. Flores who was unconsciously laying on the bed. Master and Ms. Cyan cleaned the baby boy and wrapped him in a clean white clothed. 

"So, what will you name this healthy baby boy?" Ms. Cyan asked them, May named her little brother Noah saying that is from my name Niah and it flutter me, it is an honor for a witch to have a name after theirs.

Mayor came in to register the new kid in town, Father Loiue also came to blessed the baby and of course later that night, there's a feast in the central. Master and I stayed for a while and bid out goodbyes before 12 strikes the clock.

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